Lee’s Summit West High School 2600 SW Ward Road Lee’s Summit, MO 64082 Volume VI Edition 7
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chools too are driven by money and that road sometimes leads to unexpected places. The recent decision in the Hickman School District to merge Hickman Mills and Ruskin High Schools, as well as the unveiling of a proposed plan to close half the schools in the Kansas City District is forcing many area youth to imagine what that would look like. For students in Lee’s Summit, the continued growth makes the possibility of merging unlikely for many years to come. That said, our neighbors to the West were saying the same thing 30 years ago. Now they’re facing a different path. Pg. 2
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Rival schools combining could create chaos Sydnee Owens Rivalries between the Lee’s Summit schools are extremely passionate. The same goes for Hickman Mills, Ruskin, and Grandview. “It’s a pretty intense rivalry,” said Hickman Mills Varsity Boys Basketball Coach, Chuck Pohlman. Pohlman coached at Hickman Mills for five years but he also coached at Ruskin. The basketball teams are very competitive with each other. In the two games they’ve played against each other this season, Ruskin won by only a few. “Anytime you have two District schools playing each other, there is the rivalry aspect,” said West Basketball Coach Michael Schieber. “The games come right down to the wire,” said Pohlman. “We may play them one more time in Districts.” Pohlman said he believes once the schools combine the rivalry will end.
“I think going to school together will be the hard part,” said Pohlman. “I’m sure there will be some words exchanged.” “Well, I know this was a tough decision for all involved; but from everything I have heard, it had to be done for the welfare of the students,” said Schieber. Pohlman said he thinks sports will be the easy part. “They won’t be playing each other. They’ll be working toward the same goal,” said Pohlman. “But it’s going to be interesting.” “I believe the kids from these two schools will be fine together and that the staff and administrations at both schools will work together to help build a new tradition,” said Schieber. “I think it would be hard at first. Everyone would be divided,” said Junior Emmie Andres. “They’ll get over it. I think it’s a smart financial decision to combine the schools,” said Freshman Jessica Casey.
There are still several components that are yet to be decided. “We have no idea who the head coach is going to be,” said Pohlman. “I guess they’ll interview us both. We don’t even know which school we’ll be at yet.” “It’s pretty chaotic there. Teachers are competing with each other for slots,” said Sophomore LaShantese Ward. Ward began school at West this week, moving from Hickman Mills. “There’s a more relaxed atmosphere here,” said Ward. “The teachers here encourage kids to learn and there’s more one-on-one time with the students and teachers.” Students at West try to sympathize with students at Ruskin and Hickman. “If Lee’s Summit or North and West combined it would cause a lot of problems,” said Sophomore Emily Nelson. “We’re rivals when it comes to athletics and trying to make one combined team would be difficult.” Also, with a different coach than
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they’re used to, students may reconsider going out for their sport. “If there was a coach I knew I couldn’t stand, I wouldn’t go out for the sport,” said Sophomore Katie McAnulty. “It would be more of a competition. People would have to work harder for their spots on the team,” said Andres. “In tough times you can either be part of the problem or part of the solution. I hope it all works out for them,” said Schieber
Steven J Prstojevich MD, DDS, FACS Matthew R Hlavacek MD, DDS Oral, Facial, and Cosmetic Surgical Care Board Certified
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Earning a grade with a dip in the pool Katey Stoetzel
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Davies’ brother, Freshman Ian Davies, wishes there were more hours of the day to fit the class in. “I would take it, but I don’t have enough hours in the day. I would take it instead of another PE class,” he said. Like with any swimming pool, it’s not just fun and games. Rules regarding attire have been put into place. “Definitely only a one-piece swimming suit will be allowed and boys may not wear Speedos. We are still currently ‘drafting’ the other equipment needs such as goggles and caps. This information will be spelled out in the syllabus for the students,” said Merritt. Right now, a curriculum and a set of expectations are being put together. However, there is no set teacher for the class just yet. Anybody can take the class, including those on the high school team who already know how to swim. For the people that do, they will certainly be benefitted in ways that others who take regular PE classes will not. “Any student that wants to learn how to swim, become a more proficient swimmer, or wants to further their swimming technique in order to be LGT certified,” said Merritt. “It’s nice that there’s a variety at our school to choose from. It’s nice that they give us the option,” said Luark.
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side stroke with good technique; two minutes of treading with no hands; and surface dive, retrieve a 10 lb. weight from the pool at a depth of at least 7’ and bring to the surface to display,” said Merritt. Junior Melissa Luark believes the class is a good idea. “It will be a good class for people who don’t know how to swim,” she said. “It’s a good opportunity to gain a new skill.” Even though she thinks the class will benefit people, Luark does not plan on taking the class. “I think it’s cool and a lot of people will do it, but I don’t want to re-get ready for school in the middle of the day,” said Junior Emily Davies. “I don’t want to get wet and chlorine-y for a grade.”
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This year on district enrollment sheets, two very new and very different classes have been added to the selection. Swimming 1 and Swimming 2 will be held at the new Aquatic Center. “It will start at 7 a.m and end around 8:30 a.m. The bus will leave around 9 a.m to transport students back to all three high schools before third hour starts,” said Lee’s Summit District P.E Coordinator Amy Merritt. The classes will take up two hours of the s c h o o l day, so students will have to watch the graduation requirements in order to be sure they can fit in those credits.
Swimming 1 is a prerequisite for Swimming 2. “The Swimming 1 class is open to any student. The emphasis in the course is in stroke technique and development, as well as aquatic fitness activities and aquatic games,” said Merritt. Swimming 2 is for more experienced swimmers. “Swimming 2 continues stroke refinement, fitness, and games, as well as preparing a student for LGT” she said. LGT is a term for Life Guard Certification. In order to skip Swimming 1 and go straight to Swimming 2, there is also a prerequisite. “Students will have to do a 500 yard continuous swim; one minute of 100 yards freestyle, breaststroke, and
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What, among other issues, caused the merge between Hickman and Ruskin? 1950 -1970 Rapid population growth; more than tripled to peak population of 35,470 in 1970
1980s - 1990s
Bannister shopping area provides significant tax revenue. Population begins decline averaging 2.759% per decade.
2000s Commercial tax revenue begins to weaken; fewer students live in district
2004 Bannister Mall anchor stores gone; significant tax loss
Percent of students on free/reduced lunch
Bannister Mall closes; continued loss of tax revenue from businesses and property owners
These families would be less likely to contribute large sums of tax revenue to the Hickman district
2000 49%
2005
65%
Information from the Mo. Dpt. of Education and the U.S. Census
Taylor Jensen Most homes in the Hickman Mills area are occupied, but their values are decreasing as many were built between 1940 and 1970. In 1990, the median housing values were $85,989, but just ten years later, the value went down to $65,943. Housing values weren’t the only
2006 69.3%
(11.1% in L.S.)
thing decreasing. The average household income in the area was $53,620, yet somewhere around a nine percent decrease showed the income at $46,715 in 2005. “They became the places to move to, maybe thirty or twenty years ago, now Lee’s Summit is the place to move to from Hickman Mills and Raytown,” says Jim Devine, President and
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CEO of the Lee’s Summit Economic Development Council. There wasn’t a rapid period of building new homes, as in the Lee’s Summit district. Lee’s Summit houses created more taxes for the schools. The values of the homes in Hickman Mills effected the area’s growth negatively, while Lee’s Summit had the opposite effect, drawing more people to its homes and schools.
“Schools are always the best reason people move to communities,” said Devine.
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Hickman Mills 2005 Total 7,094 Enrollment Assessed Valuation
2006
2007 2008 2009
6,920
6,949
6,902
6,765
$399 mil $431 mil $431 mil $437 mil $431 mil
Lee’s Summit 2005
2006
2007
2008 2009
Total Enrollment 15,934 16,458 16,742 16,986 17,120 Assessed Valuation
$1.2 bil
Taylor Jensen Growth in the Lee’s Summit School District continues, despite the economic weakening, with plans for additional schools. “The master plan does show between now and six to eight years, one or more elementary schools,” said Janice Phelan, director of community
$1.4 bil
$1.5 bil
$1.65 bil $1.5 bil
relations for the L.S. district. Other additions, such as a fourth high school, Phelan said, is only in the thinking and talking stages. No plan for another high school has gone to the school board, she said, and there is no land specifically designated, or a definite plan. It would probably not go to voters until 2016. Major changes because of the
Kansas City School District Superintendent John Convington announced last week a plan that would close half of the schools in that district merging over 17,000 Kindergarten-12th graders into
economy are few; mainly budget cuts. The 2008-2009 school year budget was reduced $1 million. The school year before was decreased by about 5.5 percent, The current 2010 enrollment total 17,238. The enrollment has stayed relatively steady lately, either increasing or decreasing with moderation. The last two years have
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30, rather than 60 schools. Lee’s Summit has only 27 schools also serving 17,000+ students here. The many schools in Kansas City are the result of booming population that peaked with 75,000 students in the 1960s. While the decision has not been made, Northeast and Westport High Schools were placed on the chopping block, meaning those kids would merge with other Kansas City schools, similar to what occurred in the Hickman district.
gained one hundred kids per year. One of the main differences in the Hickman Mills and Lee’s Summit school districts is the land mass. The Lee’s Summit School District has about 1,017 square miles of land and “there is tremendous room for growth,” according to Phelan.
GOOD LUCK in Aneheim
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Girls call the shots for once
Ally McEntire
“Sadie Hawkins dance, in my khaki pants, there’s nothing better,” sang Relient K about a dance that all started in 1937 from a Lil’ Abner cartoon; an event that will be held at West in early March. Sadie Hawkins Day began with a Lil’ Abner cartoon strip in 1937, according to the Lil’ Abner official website. “Sadie Hawkins was ‘the homliest gal in the hills’ who grew tired of waiting for fellows to come a courtin’,” said the site. In the strip, her father was afraid she would be stuck living at home, so he arranged Sadie Hawkins Daywhich included a footrace between single girls and guys of the town. The girls would chase the guys, and if caught, the pair had to marry. The idea is that girls are supposed to take the initiative in asking the guy to the event being held; in West’s case, the Winter Activities Dance. Just like back in the 30’s, when Life magazine reported over 200 colleges holding Sadie Hawkins events in
1939, Activities Director Debbie Katzfey said she hopes the girl-askguy event will increase attendance. “I think it’s going to be better,” said Katzfey. The dance was originally scheduled for Feb. 13. Student Senate, as well as the Activities council decided it would be best if the dance was moved to a different date. The weekend before held a wrestling tournament, and the following two weekends will be the musical. Mar. 6 is when the dance is set to be held. “The only thing on that date is alldistrict music,” said Katzfey. “But, it’s hosted here, and they will be done in time for the dance.” The theme set for the dance was “A Snow Ball,” but with the change of date, it has changed to Retro Renovation. According to Student Senate President Tyler Caby, Retro Renovation consists of “lots of peace signs and tie-dye- kind of a 70’s feel, but modernized.” As tradition goes, girls are
encouraged to ask guys to the dance“In a cute way,” said Student Senate sponsor Khryssie Hartman. “It kind of gives it a different spin,” she said. “Guys are afraid to ask,” said Katzfey. Limbo Parks agreed. “I think it’s a fun idea but I don’t think a lot of people will do it,” said Senior Sarah Carter. She said that she will probably wait for a boy to ask her to the dance. Some believe the date change will affect attendance because it is so close to Prom. “I have to choose whether or not I want to spend money on courtwarming, because I definitely care more about Prom than courtwarming,” said Carter. Freshman Josh Chism was unaware of the “girl-ask-guy” style of the dance, and he asked a girl, but he said he fears attendance will not be great. “It’s like middle school dances- it’s not the real thing,” he said. Chism added that girls probably won’t ask
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What: Winter Activities Dance Where: Lee’s Summit West commons When: March 6, 8:30-11 p.m
guys as they are expected to. “They like feeling like princesses, because it’s like a fairytale to them when the guy asks them,” he said. Freshman Bayley Foster said that if a girl asked him he may consider going. “It’s fine, it doesn’t really matter who asks who,” said Foster. Senior Karlye Buff said if she attends, it will be with friends, but currently, she isn’t planning on going. “I think girls should be able to ask guys and it not be weird,” said Buff. Senior Athena Wolfe agreed. “I think it’s a good idea. It changes it up-gives girls a push,” she said. Buff agreed that the idea of a WPA (woman pay all) or a sweetheart dance is good, because guys typically pay for Prom expenses. However, she said that because it is now closer to Prom, attendance will go down. With the Winter Activities Dance fast approaching, girls and guys must choose whether or not to attend, and now, who will be asking who.
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Titan Scroll 2009-2010 Managing Editor Clayton Kelley Graphics Design Manager Kayla Cambers Content Editor Ally McEntire Photography Editor Martin Steele Copy Editor Emily Argotsinger Online Editor Ryan Babcock Advertising Manager Ben Poeschl Billing Manager Darrick Noone Distribution Manager Amanda Orrick Jed Manaco Staff Columnist Katey Stoetzel Rylee Webster Staff Artist Leanna Perry
Writers Andy Evans Jenna Keeble Krista Kern Taylor Jensen A.C. Long Carlie Nash Cam O’Brien Sydnee Owens Haley Roach Megan Roberts Katey Stoetzel Rylee Webster
Photographers Ryan Babcock Nicole Conniff Sam Conrad Elisa Cox Nathan Foster Anna Hunter Jean Madison Katey Maloney Alex Palmer Ariel Thompson Page Designers Brooke Admire Hayley Brower Eric Dedovish Jesse Eiskina Joey Franke Zach Harris Gabby Hayden Rachael Hilton Mick Medlock Rachel Paddock
Adviser Carol Ullery Business Adviser Karrie Smythia The Titan Scroll is a student publication of Lee’s Summit West High School. It welcomes all letters to the editor, but reserves the right to edit for libel and for space. No unsigned letters will be printed. Letters may be dropped off in Room 2048 or mailed to 2600 SW Ward Road, Lee’s Summit, MO 64082. Volume 6 of the Scroll is published 13 times during the 2009-2010 school year. The opinions contained do not in any way represent the Lee’s Summit West faculty, administration or the R-7 school district administration or school board.
Letter to Editor
Staff Editorial:
Gaming interferes with real life
When playing video games becomes an obsession that interferes with daily life, then there is a problem. With the different systems, video games are more popular than ever; there are games appealing to every sort of person. There are fitness games for Wii, Call of Duty for Xbox, Rockband for Playstation, and Barbie games on the computer. Almost any kind of game can be played on any system; the problem arises when free time filler becomes a way of life. It happens to boys and girls, teens and younger kids. The Sims suddenly feels like it is really happening and knowing if the baby on the way will be a boy or a girl seems drastically important. Or getting to level 70 in Call of Duty suddenly seems 10 times more important than studying for that math test that is going to make or break a grade. Harris interactive, www.harrisinteractive.com, recently conducted
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a survey stating that the average teenager, age 13-18 plays 14 hours of video games per week. Teen girls play roughly 8 hours and teen boys play on average 18 hours. In the United States alone 8.5 percent of youth gamers aged 8 to 18 are pathologically addicted to video games, the study said. Just like any addiction, becoming that desperate to log on is a serious problem. Taking breaks to focus on things that are real is necessary– maybe even long term breaks. People should remember that even though the games may resemble real life, it isn’t, and if there are things that need to be done, they should be a higher priority than taking the band to the next city or sieging the castle. Games are fun, and they are marketed that way, but they shouldn’t be more important that real life. Spending real face-to-face time with family and friends is more valuable than the game. Like mom says- the game will be there when you get back.
Theatre Coverage in question
Recently a story was published in The Titan Scroll about the works of a few talented Lee’s Summit West students who attended the State Thespian Conference. However, throughout the entire article, it failed to mention until the last line my dear friend Abby Dorning. Abby, the head costume designer, who does much of the costume work on her own, was recently given the award of All-State costume designer, which so happens to give her the position of head costume designer for the All-State Musical; Jekyll and Hyde. It is a well known fact that Abby spends almost all of her time working on the costumes for her own schools plays and now the added Jekyll and Hyde. So much work in fact, that a simple sentence “Junior Abby Dorning is head costume designer for the production.” does not do her any justice. Theater Students Cast in AllState Musical may have been a piece mostly about the students IN the play, but nonetheless I believe that a piece directly correlated with my friend Abby Dorning should be made. Perhaps showing just how much she is appreciated and giving her the honor she deserves for her hard work. Sincerely, Luke Murrell Lee’s Summit High School
Do you have opinions to share? If you have any suggestions or comments write us a letter and drop it off in room 2048. We want to know what you think.
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Stoetzel’s Soap Box:
Why Groundhog Day?
Rylee’s Reality:
Strive to be an Olympic gold medalist
Commentary by Katey Stoetzel Oh, the holidays. I can count them on my fingers. There’s Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Independence Day and….Groundhog Day? That is where confusion sets in. First off, what exactly is Groundhog Day? And second, why is it a groundhog? I mean, were groundhogs of significant importance back in the day? Well, I found out– kind of. Here’s the basic idea: if it is a cloudy day, and the groundhog comes out and there is no shadow, which there wouldn’t be because of the clouds, winter is over. If it is a sunny day, and the groundhog comes out from the burrow and sees its shadow, six more weeks of winter. Now, hang on a second. This seems a little backwards to me. If it’s cloudy, spring is here. If it’s sunny, winter is still here. HUH? Is there any logic here? In the 18th and 19th centuries, they used a badger and a sacred bear, instead of the groundhog. I’m getting all of this from Wikipedia. Cringe, not a good source of information, but I thought maybe I should use a weak site for a weak holiday. Wikipedia also mentions that festivals are held that include dancing, food, and contests. I have never participated in a Groundhog Day festival.
Also, have you ever noticed how on Groundhog Day, Phil ALWAYS sees his shadow? What’s up with that? I really hate winter. So why does an insignificant groundhog get to tell me when winter is going to be over? Isn’t that what meteorologists are for? Another thing to ponder in your free time, (or any time really, whenever you feel like. Or you don’t have to; that’s ok too. I’m not trying to order you around or anything.) Apparently, Phil, the infamous groundhog that is treated like royalty, is just that. Royalty. I heard from somewhere that he’s treated with more care than some children. This has got to be animal cruelty. Or just the opposite. More like animal this-is-crazy-noanimal-should-be-treated-betterthan-humans kind of thing. For all of the above mentioned holidays, we get out of school; well except for Independence Day. Groundhog Day is also on the calendar, but do we get out of school? That would be a no. I wish we did, just so I can participate in a Groundhog Day festival. I guess what I’m trying to get at is that Groundhog Day is a stupid day. Ah, so there’s my point of this whole thing. WE HAVE SIX MORE WEEKS OF WINTER, just in case you didn’t pay attention to the “holiday” that is Groundhog Day.
Commentary by Rylee Webster Every two years, we get the pleasure of watching the best of the best athletes compete against each other on the most competitive of fields, courts, and slopes. It’s inspiring to see different people with different nationalities come together to take on the challenge of competing against quality athletes who all
want to exert their best abilities. Most of us watch to see our favorite sport played with the highest intensity and impeccable talent. It’s amazing to see athletes at their best competing for themselves and their country. This is when you get to witness true passion in the eyes of hard working athletes who strive to be the best. That is why I like to watch the Olympics. I like to see people who have worked their whole lives for just moments that could define the rest of their athletic career. I like to see people succeed at something they’ve worked hard at for a long time. It
is inspiring to witness this, it should also set an example for the rest of us to follow. If we put in half the effort that Olympic athletes put into their sport, there would be no limit to what we could do. However, to put in a good amount of effort, passion is critical. I think a lot of us could put more effort into the things we do. Many of us like to just get by, but eventually, we’re going to have to up the ante in order to do well. It takes desire, passion, and effort not only to be an Olympic athlete, but also to be a successful human being.
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This I believe: Teacher edition what high school you attend you have the power to make it one of the best experiences of your life. I believe that it’s important to have roots and that is why every few years I make a trip down memory lane and drive by my old school and the house I grew up in. I believe the next time I drive down Blue Ridge and the Eagle Veronica Scott is not on the side of the building I believe that the merging of Ruskin I will be very sad. I believe that and Hickman will be a sad day for money always seems to be the many people. I believe that when I was deciding factor and that it can cause in high school the Eagle pride soared. traditions to be thrown out the door. I believe that I received a great I believe that change is hard but education and that I owe many of my that many good things can come most precious relationships to Ruskin; from it. Ruskin has been through my husband and all of my best friends. a lot through the years and I truly I believe that you are responsible believe they will make the most with for the type of experience you what they have! have in high school and no matter
Photos courtesy of Vince Careswell and Veronica Scott.
I Believe the Tradition will Carry on:
Vince Careswell The tradition of excellence in academics and athletics started in 1930 with the first graduating class of Ruskin High School. Since that first graduating class the district grew due to the growth of commercial business and housing in the south Kansas City area. The population influx created a need for a new high school that would be named Hickman Mills High School. Immediately, the schools became arch rivals in athletics and academics. The Hickman Mills school district has produced thousands of students that have gone on to be productive members of society. Some have
achieved greatness in the athletic arena such as Brian Manning and Rick Lyle who both played in the NFL. Several have gone on to have an impact in the political arena and others have aspired to influential positions in the corporate world. However, most of Ruskin’s graduates have gone on to careers in various fields that are not in the spotlight, like two of your teachers here at Lee’s Summit West, Veronica Scott and Vince Careswell. Over the years, the Hickman Mills School District has endured many hardships such as the catastrophic Ruskin Heights Tornado of 1957 that completely destroyed Ruskin High School and the surrounding community. In recent years, the closing of Bannister Mall and the housing crisis has impacted the economics of the area and has forced the district to make some tough decisions. Soon, Ruskin and Hickman will be combined to form one high school and change a long established rivalry and the individual traditions of each school. Or will it? I believe the merging of the two schools will be a tough pill to swallow.
A decades old rivalry coming together to form a new school will be difficult. However, I support the move if it allows the district’s students to have a better education and a chance to keep all of their extra curricular activities. I believe that the combining of Ruskin/ Hickman will allow the students in the district to experience the opportunities that I most cherished from my high school days… the opportunities for friendships, being involved in activities, and being exposed to teachers and coaches that believed in me. I believe the storied halls of Ruskin High School will always echo the friendships and memories of the past. I believe the tradition of the Golden Ruskin
Eagles will carry on…even if it is mixed with a little orange and black.
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Titan Scroll
Jamaican sisters embrace American culture
that the biggest cultural difference was definitely the languages. In Jamaica they spoke in Patois, a broken English. While they used to say
Haley Roach
Sophomore Crysella and Junior Ellisha Brown traded palm trees for snow-dusted oaks when they moved to Missouri and enrolled here at West. Crysella, Ellisha, and their father came to America for the first time in November, joining their uncle and his family. “We always wanted to see the snow!” the girls said, sharing their experiences of playing in it for the first time. Missouri’s snow and cold was a big change from Jamaica’s heat. “It is always hot in Jamaica, like 85 degrees” said Crysella. The sisters only found out three days in advanced that they were moving to America in order to avoid “badmind” or jealousy from others in their community, as we would say. Ellisha Brown’s first reaction to the news was “Oh my gosh! America!” The opportunities in America was what brought the Brown girls to LSW. “It’s always about opportunity” said Crysella. The girls had expectations of going to a better school, and living happily
with their family in America. So far, they have not been let down. Crysella and Ellisha both agreed
“wha-gwan?” they now say “what’s going on?” Another big difference for the girls was the music. “I like Alicia Keys.” Sisters Crysella and Ellisha Brown enjoy their first winter snow. Photos by Jean Madison
Says Ellisha, who’s current favorite song is ‘Empire State of Mind’. Crysella and Ellisha have been exposed to a lot of other American media also. They have been watching American Idol. “That’s so funny” Crysella said about the show, she knows all the words to the infamous ‘Pants on the Ground’. The sisters also became involved with Lee’s Summit West activities. Ellisha plans to try out for soccer, while Crysella is interested in Track and Field and getting involved in choir. The Jamaican girls have a lot of similarities to a lot of the girls at Lee’s Summit West. In their free time, they enjoy listening to music, dancing, singing, and just messing around. Along with the fun, they also are serious about school and their futures. Both girls aspire to one day have occupations in the medical field. Achieving this would be much more challenging in Jamaica. To accomplish their dreams, the girls are working hard to focus on school. For some high school students, it might be hard to leave their country, but not for Crysella and Ellisha. Ellisha said “We were so excited; it was not hard to leave.” “It was our dream,” Crysella said.
Feb. 19, 2010
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Like father, like son
Megan Roberts
For many children, free time is spent riding bikes or playing outside with other neighborhood friends; for Junior Alex Coday, free time as a child was spent “playing” with fires. Coday’s dad is a retired Fire Chief at Prarie Township Fire District and Alex was exposed to the world of firefighting at only 2 months old. As Alex got older, he began learning the ropes of being a fireman and eventually went into his first fire at age 11. Coday said his favorite part of being a volunteer fireman is the adrenaline rush and the fact that, when there was not a fire or a car accident, they get to sit around and play video games. His dad, Bill Coday, also had that same interest factor. He said he felt that helping people was exciting and liked having a good adrenaline rush. “It’s a boring job 95 percent of the time, but when something happens, it’s really exciting for that percent of the time.” Alex also said he wanted to go to college to become involved at the fire station, just like his dad. He believes that he will have a small advantage over the other applicants and probies, short for probationary firefighter in the fire service, because of his experience with his father. Alex mentioned a time when he was 14 years old, there were a bunch of new people hired. One challenged Alex to a competition with car fires and the correct way to approach the car and hit the prime spots with water first. Alex ended up beating the probie. Coday decided he wanted to become a fireman and progress to being a captain. A person starts as a fireman, a job that includes riding backwards in the truck and actually going into fires. N e x t t h e y become a n
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engineer; they drive the truck and use the water pump. Following that, they become a captain, and ride in front of the truck and lead the team on the scene of the accident. Along down the line comes the chief, who doesn’t actually go inside the fire, but instead he does all the paperwork, works the radios, and only goes to the scene of the fire or car accident if it is an extremely bad scenario. Coday said in order to achieve his goal he would “Start out as a firefighter and take as many Alex Coday classes I can, like heavy rescue, hazmat paramedic, and a bunch of other classes and trainings.” His dad had one piece of advice for him. “Work really hard an train as much as possible.” Coday said his dad has taught him basically
everything he knows. “You are constantly having to do math; so much more complicated than a n y math class a high school student would ever take,” he said. “I suck at math, but that math comes easy to me.” Math on the job includes calculating the pounds per square inch the hose needs to be set at, based on how high and far the water needs to spray. B i l l said he became
involved in the fire world “When I had went fishing and I had came home and the house up the road was on fire and there was a volunteer fire department at the time. We had complained that they didn’t do it right so they said, ‘Well why don’t you join?’ and so I joined in 1984 and was a volunteer at the time and then worked my way up.” Bill said he enjoys the fact that they both have the same interest in fires. “It was fun to have him growing up in the fire station. It was great because you got to do something with your children. A lot of people go to work everyday and come home and they’re too tired. Well, we got to spend time together that I would imagine that a lot of people don’t get the time to do.” All the other firemen loved Alex because he was always around to help and if they had chores to do, he would help them do their chores, said Bill.
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•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports •
Titan Scroll
Junk in the trunk
2.
1.
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5. Juniors Ian Dobyns and Brian Hamm proudly displayed the junk in their trunks with a collection of Batman, sports equipment, and the necessities needed for winter time fun. Photos and illustrations by Cameron O’Brien and Kayla Cambers
2. 1.
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4. 6.
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1. Authentic 80’s weather proof Phoenix Suns jacket 2. Vintage Coke bottle 3. Five gal. bucket of chlorine 4. Speed Slider sleds 5. Large breed Science Diet 6. “Just trash”
Feb. 19, 2010
What’s in your trunk? 1. Cartoon character glove 2. Tennis racquet 3. Blank deck 4. Batman - Dark Knight comic 5. Batman collectables
•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports •
Cameron O’ Brien
F
or some students at Lee’s Summit West, their cars not only serve as t ra n s p o r t a t i o n , but also make exceptional storage areas for all types of junk and knickknacks. This was perfectly exemplified by Junior Ian Dobyns who said the reason he has so much junk in his trunk is because “ I officially moved
out of my mom’s a few months ago and these are the things from her house that didn’t make the journey to my dad’s.” D o b y n s proudly displayed his impressive trunk collection of Batman memorabilia and comics. Not to mention his cartoon character glove which Dobyns said he acquired when “My friend Dalton
McDonald dressed up as Master Chief from Halo for Halloween and bought these cartoon gloves to add to the ensemble.” Dobyns hoarding didn’t stop with comic books and goofy gloves, he also had all types of sports equipment ranging from tennis racquets and sports balls to a skateboard, baseball bat, and even a bowling pin.
Junior Brian Hamm’s rear cargo area was filled to the teeth with an assortment of trash, and winter must-haves. Hamm said “I went sledding one day and after that everything just kinda piled up.” Some would wonder how such an impressive collection of junk comes to be. Hamm simply answered with “In case I need it.”
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14 •News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports •
Titan Scroll
Enter the cyber World of Warcraft Krista Kern World of Warcraft, otherwise known as WoW, is a MMORPG (Massively-Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game). It allows thousands of players to battle against each other and the Warcraft world; people who play this game can play with others locally and worldwide. World of Warcraft was originally released in 1994 and called Warcraft: Orcs & Humans. Four years later they released Warcraft III: The Frozen Throne. Blizzard 2001, In announced Entertainment World of Warcraft. It was released in late 2004 on the 10th anniversary of the Warcraft franchise. “WoW is extremely popular all over the world. It has won several Guinness world records
because of its number of players, popularity, and sales,” said Junior Blake Bodenhamer. Bodenhamer started playing WoW because his friends suggested the game to him after seeing a reference on the show, South Park. “I play a lot of video games so I try to play all of the newest games, at times it can be very addicting, but it is just as addicting as any other game,” he said. “At first I thought that it sounded really complicated and confusing and that it wasn’t like other games that I had played before.” Although extremely popular, many students find the game to be a guilty pleasure. “I think that they don’t tell anyone because WoW gets a bad reputation in the media,” said Bodenhamer. “Kids don’t talk about it
because they think that they will seem like a loser or a nerd for playing WoW, when other kids play games like Modern Warfare 2 or Guitar Hero or just whatever just as much as they are playing WoW,” he said. “Also WoW players are kinda put into a stereotype of kids who live in the basement of their mom’s house and never leave their computer screens.” Freshman Jacob Galeassi, who also plays the World of Worldcraft agrees. “If you ask me, it’s just like sitting and watching TV or going shopping at the mall. I mean, in the end, does it really matter if people know you play a game that you enjoy?” he said. “You communicate on WoW with actual people on a regular basis for it’s not like you’re a hermit crab in your own fantasy land.”
Bodemhamer likes that the game consistently updates itself, so he’s not always playing the same game. “I really wouldn’t change anything about WoW,” he said. “Blizzard, the people who made WoW, do a pretty good job of knowing what the players are looking for and they try to put new things that they think players would like,” said Bodemhamer. Not only does one first buy the game it also has a monthly fee of $15, which is similar to paying a subscription fee for Xbox live. Currently, World of Warcraft has three expansion sets; The Burning Crusade, Wrath of the Lich King, and Cataclym. Expansion packs allow players to add on to the existing game, which adds new game areas, weapons, objects, and/ or an extended story line.
Feb.19, 2010
•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports • 15
Dear John
Krista Kern
The movie “Dear John” was quite a let down after the hype from overcommercialized previews led people to expect much more out of the film. Once the word was let out about the movie “Dear John” many people raced out to get the book and read it before the release of the movie. Many people chose to check the book out from the library– with hundreds of holds, others just bought it. Buying the book was totally worth
it, but the movie ticket, not so much. Some people who read the book were highly disappointed in the plot line in the movie. Some very important parts were left out that were in the book. Basically, the first two minutes, it felt like, summed up eight chapters. Also, a disappointment was the awkward chemistry between actors Channing Tatum and Amanda Seyfried’s characters. Because in other Nicholas Sparks movie remakes, such as “The Notebook,” “A Walk to Remember,” and “Nights in Rodanthe” there was a noticeable instant connection. The movie seemed focused more on Tatum’s character, John Tyree’s
military life and hot bod, rather than romance between him and Seyfried’s character, Savannah Curtis. Though the movie did have an upside at basically keeping the same storyline, the end slightly changes. In the movie both characters are on break; Tyree is on break from military and Curtis is on a two week break from college. They both randomly meet by the ocean whenever Curtis’ purse falls into the ocean and Tyree dives in to save the purse from sinking to the bottom, slightly referring back to the classic handkerchief drop. There is almost an instant connection between the two, and they start spending all their time with each other for the rest of the
two weeks, resulting with the two falling in love. During those two weeks, Curtis spends her time not only with Tyree but meets her mildly autistic father and realizes that she wants to change her major in college to learn how to help autistic people. Once the two weeks come to an end, they promise to write to each other constantly so they know what each other is up to, and plan to reunite one year later. The long wait finally comes to an end and the two are reunited for only eighteen hours due to the 9/11 attack and Tyree agrees to go back to the service which brings conflict between the relationship.
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16 •News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports • Coaches: Richard Myers and Todd Wilson Goals: To play the best they can and just have fun playing golf.
Junior Christian Horne
Strong Players: Senior, Chad Maness, Junior Christian Horne and Sophomore, Grant Grego. Record Last Year: “We played very very well. Won three tournaments and we sent three boys to state.” Richard Myers Quote: “This year is a rebuilding year. You’ll be seeing a young team.” Richard Myers
Junior Trenton Piepergerdes
S p r i n g s p o r t s
Titan Scroll
Senior Kevin Colon
Coaches: Bob Klausing, Matt Maxwell, Chris Barrows, Michael Shortino, Thomas Stueve and Jeff Herron. Goals: To win conference, districts and state.
Coaches: Paul Klene and William Zany Goals: To keep maintaining our winning streak and to compete to the highest level. Strong Player: Junior, Trenton Piepergerdes Record Last Year: 13-3 Quote: “Even though we’ve lost one of our best players this season we’re still gonna compete the best we can be.”Paul Klene
p r e v i e w
Strong Players: Seniors, Hartzell Gray, Zach Gray, Kevin Colon, Donald Willcox and Andrew Westhues. Record Last Year: They won every meet except for Staley and State. Quote: “We have a group of underclassmen and Seniors who will be very important to our success.” Bob Klausing
•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports • 17
Feb. 19, 2010
Junior Chelsey Phoebus
Junior Kayla Kemp Senior Banks Born Coaches: Derek Howard, Jesse Griffin, Jereme Hubbard, Christy Dabalos, Jenny Brown, Ray Bingley and Jeff Heron. Coaches: Mark Lutman, Bobby Conard, Todd Krey, Nathan Parrish, Todd Brizendine Goals: To win conference again; senior girls want to win districts. Strong Players: “We have a lot of strong players.”- Todd Krey Record Last Year: 18-7 Quote: “You should be watching for a group of hard workers who come together as a team, win or lose.” Todd Krey
Goals: To win conference, districts and state. Strong Runners: Seniors Liga Blyholder, Emily Argotsinger, Claire Petrucci, Ashley Wolkimir, and Juniors, Lauren Cheadle and Alex Moase. Record Last Year: Won conference, districts and finished 4th at state. Quote: “We have a great team back this year and they could be as good as our state champions in 2006.”-Derek Howard.
Coaches: Jay Meyer, Jesse Dziurawiec, James Asher, Brandon Briscoe, Chad Abernathe and Ricky Boteker Goals: To have a lot of victories this upcoming year. Strong Players: All of our returning players. Record Last Year: 19-7 Quote: “We have many strong pitchers and opposing teams should have trouble scoring runs.” Jay Meyer
... looking forward to spring
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Titan Scroll
Titans conquer conference foes Emily Argotsinger
the Titans some challenging competition. Four Titan wrestlers qualified for state, even though the team was hoping for more. “We did not do that well,” said Hauck. “I have no idea why and have no excuse. We simply didn’t wrestle as well as we could have.” Despite some disappointments, four Titan wrestlers had good reason to celebrate; Logsdon, Dennis, Poeschl and Boehm all qualified for state. During his championship match, Boehm went into quadruple overtime against number one state ranked Andrew Muller of Ray-Pec to grab the District Championship for the second year in a row. It was also Muller’s first loss of the season.
“The match was intense,” said Boehm. “We were both really aggressive. If we see each other again at State I think it will be another good match.” Speaking of State, Boehm set a big goal for himself, but one that is not out of reach. “My goal is to win state and wrestle my best,” said Boehm. “No matter what obstacles come I think I can overcome them.” “I think he’s got a shot at winning state,” Hauck said. “Nothing is a given; you have to go down and wrestle your best match.” Senior Tyler Dennis will experience his first trip down to the Missouri State High School wrestling match. “I’ve been wrestling since I was in second grade,” Dennis said. “I’ve
been to youth state, but never to high school state. Making it as a Senior is a big deal to me.” Dennis is a first year Titan, coming from Rockhurst his freshman and sophomore year, and Grandview his junior year. He, like Boehm, also had to win a tough match at Districts in order to make it to State. “There was one match where we knew one was going to make it and one was going home,” he said. “It felt great to come off the mat knowing I was going to State.” His goal for State is to “come off the mat knowing I gave everything I had.” “I don’t really put goals on winning and losing, but I don’t want to come off the mat thinking I could have
For the first time in school history, the LSW wrestling team ended regular season with a perfect 5-0 conference record. “We won conference for the first time,” Head Coach Ethan Hauck said. “We went 5-0 in conference and 9-1 overall, with our only loss to Kearney.” “I’m proud of the team for winning the first Conference Championship,” Sophomore Evan Boehm said. Earlier this month, the Titans participated in the LSW Varsity Invitational Meet against ten other schools around the area. It was a Round Robin Tournament, meaning no scores were kept. “If we would’ve kept score we would’ve finished second to Ray-Pec,” Hauck said. There were a lot of individual second place finishes as well. Those included Sophomore Evan Boehm, Junior Ben Poeschl and Andrew Niehaus, and Seniors Tyler Dennis, Jordan Knox, and Jake Logsdon. The only first place finisher was sophomore Matt Lemanowitz in the 130 weight class. After the LSW Invitational, the Titans set their focus on Districts, held last weekend at Lee’s Summit High School. Going into Districts, Hauck said it was very important for each individual to become mentally prepared and be ready for tough matches. And indeed the match- Senior Tyler Dennis attempts to take down his opponent. He will experience his first trip down to the Missouri State wrestling match. Dennis is es at Districts provided a first year Titan, coming from Rockhurst his freshman and sophomore year, and Grandview his junior year. Photo by Jean Madison.
Feb. 19, 2010
•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports • 19
Titan basketball: big feet, even bigger goals Rylee Webster Trying to fill Senior Melvin Turner’s shoes would be difficult, considering he wears a size 18 shoe. Standing 6’8’’ tall, Turner used his height and determination and began playing basketball in the 6th grade after he gave up soccer. “I played soccer before and I guess I got too slow for that so I started playing basketball for fun,” he said. Turner attributes his start in basketball to his uncle, who influenced him to play. “He encouraged me for a long time before I actually started playing,” he said. Turner said his favorite part of the game is “having a purpose everyday.” He said he also likes playing on a
team because of the relationships that develop. The boys are currently 7-2 in Conference and have three crucial games ahead of them. Friday they played Raytown South, who is undefeated. Unfortunately, the boys lost 68 to 76. “It was a huge loss,” said Turner. “We wanted it really bad.” On Tuesday, they took on North Kansas City which resulted in a win with a final score of 59-63. “I think we used our height to our advantage,” said Turner. With Districts approaching, Head Coach Michael Schieber said the team will have to “string some positive games together” and to compete consistently. He said they need “three really solid performances” in order to be
successful. Schieber’s goal is to claim victory in Districts. He said the boys need to display “consistent effort” and they need to “give themselves a chance to win.” Senior Banks Born is confident the team can achieve this. “I believe we can get to the District Championship and win,” he said. However, it is a long road to District Championships, making the challenge even more strenuous. “We’re going to have to value each possession,” said Born. If the boys make it past the first round, they will be able to compete against Lee’s Summit rivals.
“When it’s a rivalry game, anything can h a p p e n , ” said Born. “Everything is different when it’s a rivalry game.”
20•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports •
Titan Scroll
Lady Titans Stay Positive For A Better Season
Junior Bailey Swyden encourages the team to succeed in districts.
Sydnee Owens The Girls Basketball team h a s high hopes of finishing with a rock solid season. The team defeated Fort Osage on Tuesday 55-45. They also beat Raytown 50-41 last Thursday. The girls also won against Belton 63-31 Feb. 8. “We’re starting to win,” said Sophomore Erin Dohnalek. “Before everyone was trying to do it by themselves. Now we realize we need to work together.” The team defeated Timberland 50-40 Feb. 6. “We were down 13 at half and came back to win by 10,” said Hall. “I think our depth paid off for us.” “We’ve recently been playing more as a team,” said Junior Katie Kelly. “We’re starting to execute plays and play good defense.” The girls lost to Troy 37-47 Feb.
5. “Troy came into the game 18-3 so we knew they would be tough,” said Hall. “We got down early in the game. Every time we made a run at them, they answered with a run of their own.” They lost two close games to their two close rivals: Lee’s Summit North and Lee’s Summit. “In the Lee’s Summit North game it came down to the last 12 seconds. They simply hit the shot we were forcing them to take,” said Head Coach Darin Hall. The girls lost the North game 4142 Jan. 29. “In the Lee’s Summit game we simply did not execute well on the offensive end in the fourth quarter,” said Hall. They lost the Lee’s Summit game 28-38 Feb. 3. “In both games I thought our defense played well. We rebounded
exceptionally well,” said Hall. The Lady Titans are currently sitting at a record of 11-12. “I think we’ll end the season with a winning record,” said Dohnalek. The girls are preparing for a big week of Districts next week. “I hope we do well in Districts,” said Dohnalek. “I think we’ll continue to progress offensively and defensively,” said Kelly. “We want to finish strong going into Districts,” said Hall.
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Feb. 19, 2010
West girls head to state in (free) style Jenna Keeble The West’s girls swim team was recently named Conference champs. This could be due to the fact that this season, the team has taken on a new structure. “I think I’m most proud of us developing a real strong solid base to our team so that we have depth across the team and it’s not just a few real strong swimmers that are holding the team together,” Head Coach Colleen Gibler said. “When our seniors graduate, or if God forbid we have an injury, or something like that, we still have a strong base.” This new strong base and hours of hard work, led the girls to the Conference title. One of the team’s biggest goals at Conference was to improve their times to help with the transition of moving up conferences next year. “Looking at the results from the other conference, it looks like we did
that. It looks like our times will fit right into that conference next year when we move u p ,”s a i d Gibler. The next Ke
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Su task lliv an for the co mp ete team is to di nd do well at state ivin ga today and tomorrow th er in St. Louis. Sophomore sw im me Lyndsey Sherrow is a second et. Ph time state qualifier, and has high oto by hopes for West’s performance. Nic ole Gibler agreed and predicts that clude Co nif Junior Jean Madison, Sophomore S o p h o f. Alyson Raymond, and Sherrow will mores Katey StoKalall three make it into finals in their etzel and Brittany lengerger, and Seniors Emily individual events. Sherrow qualified for the 200 Argotsinger, Hannah Mendenhall, medley relay, 100 backstroke, and and and Libby Pike.All three of the
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400 free relay. She said her proudest accomplishment this season, was making it to state. “I was really surprised because I didn’t think I was going fast enough so when I saw that I barely made it by like .3 seconds I was really happy,” said Sherrow. Other state qualifiers i n -
l At h
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THE GOAL: Maintain a competitive, strong-willed, attitude without sacrficing your Christian values.
team’s relays have qualified for state but determining who will swim them is a complicated decision. At state, a swimmer is only allowed to compete in two individual races and two relays. Because of this rule, Gibler never tells the girls who will be swimming the relays until the day of. “I have a pretty strict rule that only the top four swimmers on that day swim so it’s not necessarily who swims in it when it qualifies,” said Gibler. For Sherrow, state last year was “A lot of pressure. The pool was freezing and all these people were like twenty seconds faster than me in the same event, so it was a lot of pressure.” Even with the pressure, Sherrow said she is very excited about the weekend of state. She has high hopes for the team, and predicts to make it into finals.
22 •News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports •
Titan Scroll
Biathletes race into the winter Olympics Andy Evans Most winter Olympic athletes are professionals at one sport, but biathletes are experts at two; crosscountry skiing and rile shooting. Biathlon eventers can be seen this Sunday: men race at 10:45 a.m. and women at 1:00 p.m. Currently, France leads with four medals; one gold and three bronze. Germany and Slovakia are tied with a gold and a silver each. The biathlon in its current form has been around since 1861, when it became an organized sport. But was practiced as a military tactic in Norway long before then. “Although, I’ve never heard of it, it could be a very interesting sport,” said Junior Krystle Bodkin. The length of the skiing portion of the event varies from a 7.5 kilometer sprint to a longer twenty kilometer race. Junior Austin Pycior said, “I don’t
think that it will be interesting because there are so many cooler sports to watch like snowboarding.” The shooting segment of the race consists of two or four bouts of
of 50 meters. From a standing position, the diameter of the target is 115 millimeters or about 4.5 inches. From the prone position, the diameter of
shooting. Shots are taken from two positions; prone or laying on the ground, and standing. All of the five targets must be hit or a penalty will be enforced in one of three ways depending on the form of race. The shots are fired from a range
the target is 45 millimeters or about 1.8 inches. The Biathlon has been an Olympic sport since 1960, after being introduced in Russia and Sweden. There are four forms of the event in the Olympics; the 20 kilometer
individual race, the 10 kilometer individual race, the 7.5 kilometer individual sprint, and the 4x7.5 kilometer relay. A variation of the winter biathlon is the summer biathlon. Instead of cross-country skiing, the summer biathlon consists of crosscountry running and rifle or bow shooting. Throughout the history of the biathlon, the country that has excelled the most is Germany, with 14 gold medals and 38 total medals in it. The most successful Olympic biathlete is however, Russian Alexander Tikhonov. Biathlons are mostly held in Europe, North America and Asia, which are all represented on the Olympic rings. The Olympic rings have been the symbol of the Olympics since 1912. Each ring represents one of the five major continents: The Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe and Oceania.
•News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports • 23
Feb. 19, 2010
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24 •News •Opinion •Feature •Arts&Entertainment •Sports •
Titan Scroll
New Conference unleashes fierce competition LSW and the new Hickman/ Ruskin will move up to the Suburban Conf. Red Division next year. Photo by Martin Steele Emily Argotsinger Separated, several Ruskin and Hickman Mills athletic teams, like basketball and track, were good, but combined, many believe they will present LSW with fierce competition in the years to come. “They have excellent athletes from both Hickman Mills and Ruskin, and combined I think they will be pretty dangerous,” said Vincent Careswell, assistant football coach.
Suburban Conf. Red Division
A former Ruskin High School student and athlete, Careswell had an inside perspective about the rivalry between the two schools. “It’s like mixing oil and water,” Careswell said. “There’s always been that separation of Hickman Mills and Ruskin, much like Lee’s Summit North and Lee’s Summit West right now. It will be interesting to see how those two schools fuse together.” During high school, Careswell competed on Ruskin’s football and basketball teams. “These are two schools that have been known for their athleticism. Our football team was 8-2,” he said. “We were beat by Hickman Mills that year; it was one of our worst loses.” Athletic Director, Debbie Katzfey, explained how the combination of the two schools will affect our District and Conference. “It will affect our teams a lot because due to the combination of schools, their enrollment went up, which placed them in our Conference as well as our District,” said Katzfey. Next year, LSW will move up from the Suburban Conference White Division into the
Trucking all over Kansas City
Hickman Mills Ruskin St. Joseph Central Lee’s Summit West North Kansas City Park Hill Truman Suburban Conference Red Division. This will consist of Hickman Mills Ruskin, St. Joseph Central, LSW, North Kansas City, Park Hill, and Truman. “When [Ruskin and Hickman] were split, they were in the smallest conference,” Katzfey said. There will be a change in our football District as well. “District football came out, and that’s the only District assignment that’s out right now,” said Katzfey. “Right now it’s Hickman Mills Ruskin, Lee’s Summit High School, which is the first time we’ve ever played them in football, Lee’s Summit West and Belton.” The combined athleticism from both schools will provide West some hard competition. “Their track teams are going to be phenomenal,” Katzfey said. “The combination of all those athletes put together is going to be huge.” Sophomore Luke Knott also acknowledged the athleticism the two schools will bring together. “My reaction when I first heard the news about them combining was it will be a high competitive game with lots of speed, kind of like Raytown South,” Knott said. “When we play Ruskin and Hickman Mills, you are playing blue collar kids that want to win,” Careswell said. “It’s going to be difficult because of the speed those two schools bring together.” Three sports that Carsewell said will particularly stand out are basketball, football and track. He also said that both schools’ coaches are excellent coaches and “combined that’s going to make them even more potent.”